Talking machine of the magazine player type



Dec. 27, 1932.

-w. R. OYSTQN TALKING momma OF THE MAGAZINE PLAYER TYPE Filed Feb. 28, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 27, 1932. w. R. OYSTON TALKING MACHINE OF THE MAGAZINE PLAYER TYPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1929 51 MRW Dec. 27, 1932. w. R. OYSTON 1,892,626

TALKING MACHINE OF THE MAGAZINE PLAYER-TYPE Filed Feb. 28. 1929 4 Shasta-Sheet 5 Dec. 27, 1932. w. R. OYSTON V TALKING MACHINE OF THE MAGAZINE PLAYER TYPE Filed Feb 28, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' 4 7 v 5 d o g1 6 I 187 d Y o I 9 T r 66 .4 149 c w I 137' 148 s3 I Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM ROBERT OYSTON, OF PABKVILLE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINUOUS GRAMOPHONES LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND TALKING MACHINE OF THE MAGAZINE PLAYER TYPE Application. filed February 28, 1929, Serial No. 343,506, and in Australia Kay 22, 1928..

The present invention refers to talking ma 4 chines adapted to receive a plurality of rec- 5 transferring each record disc in turn from a magazine to the rotating turntable and for removing it from the latter and returning it to the magazine when the playing of the rec ord is completed.

A machine of this class isdescrihed in Patent 1,868,846 granted to me under date of July 26, 1932 and relating to sound reproducing apparatus, according to which vertically disposed record discs are transferred one at a time and by rolling them on edge from a;

transversely movable magazine to a vertical turntable, each disc being played thereon while rotating in a vertical plane; at the completion of the playing, the record disc is returned by rolling back to the magazine prior to the next record being transferred therefrom to theturntable';

In machines of this class no means are provided for automatically reversing the disc record so that the record impressed upon each side of the disc may be played. a

The present invention has been devised to provide means for automatically reversing each record in a group to be .played by a magazine player, the reversal of each'record being affected subsequently to the playing of one side thereof, so that both sides of each record disc can be played before the next succeeding record disc is transferred to the turntable of the playing or reproducing mechanism,

and has been devised for use with a player in which the disc records are fed on edge to the player platform which is rotated in a vertical plane.

According to this invention double sided disc records in the group to be played on both sides are mounted in vertical alignment in a carrier consisting of a plurality of equispaced vertical partitions extending some dis tance up each record fitted therein, the partitions being mounted upon a platform to which a half revolution is intermittingly imparted .at the completion of the playing of one side of each record. Simultaneously with each second half revolution the platform is fed outside. In other words all other discs excepting the one to be reversed rotate about the latter and at the next half revolution are returned together with. the played record to their original position.

The accompanying drawings depict a practical embodiment of the foregoing features as well as additional features which will be hereafter described.

In these drawings, Figure 1 a front elevation of the machine showing the automatic reversing mechanism with a magazine of records in position thereon with the second record of the series in the act of proceeding for the first time to the turntable of the playing mechanism located at the right hand.

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 with the magazine removed to illustrate the underlying mechanism.

Figure 3 is'a front elevation of the megazine with the first record and partition removed.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the complete magazine.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 55 in Figure 2.

Figure dis a plan view of a simple helix utilized to feed the magazine forward at the ing of the whole of the records in the magazine.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a talking machine of the class to which the invention refers, this figure being taken from my Patcut 1,868,846 above referred to, with the omission of-certain parts having no connection with the present invention.

Referring first to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the bed plate 1 of the'apparatus supports a pillar 2 carrying a bracket 3 bearing the electric motor 4 which has a driving pulley 5 with which is connected an endless resilient belt 6'; the latter passes over a pulley (not shown) rigidly secured to the record turntable 8, which is rotatable in a vertical plane.

Suitable brackets on the bed plate 1 support a pair of parallel horizontal rails 148 for grooved rollers 149 mounted upon the axis of a magazine carriage 151, so that the latter is displaceable along the rails 148.

When the shaft of the electric motor 4 has been set in motion, suitable mechanism (which it is not necessary here to describe in detail) causes rockingmovements of two horizontal control shafts 9 and 177, of which the latter carries a radial arm 185 provided with a pair of segmental shaped ejector arms 186 having grooved rollers 187 at their extremities, the said rollers being adapted to engage with a record 91 positioned vertically in one of the compartments of the magazine, and to transfer therecord to playing position in front of the turntable 8. In the meantime, the oscillation of the other shaft 9 lifts a radial arm terminating in a pin 60, to enable said pin to pass through the central opening of the record 91 and to enter a tapered opening 61 at the center of the turntable; the record will thus be placed centrally on the turntable 8 and be' firmly held against it. Simultaneously the bell crank lever 137 will be operated by the rod 134, and the tone arm 62 thereby placed in playing position, while a link 63 operated by the shaft 9 will slide outwardly a block 64 on the rod 65, whereby the link 66 will be operated to place the sound box 67 with its needle 88 in engagement with the record.

When the playing of the record 91 has been finished, the circuit of the electric motor 4 will be interrupted by an automatic switch (not shown) and the control shafts 9 and 177 will be returned to normal position by the coil spring 113 operating the crank arm 112 on the oscillating shaft 9.

The record 91 is released from the turntable 8 through the centering pin having been withdrawn therefrom, and is then replaced in its original compartment in the magazine by the oscillating transfer arm 185.

By the present invention means are provided whereby the record returned to the magazine after playing, is reversed by rotation about a vertical diameter and is then again transferred to the turntable for the pla ing of the other side.

'I he magazine 10 (see Figs. 3 and 4) consists of a vertical series of partitions spaced apart by inclined bottom plates 11 and all held together by through bolts 12 each of the outer partitions being provided with a finger piece 13. The double sided playing records 14 are carried between said partitions in the required playing sequence which may consist of a complete symphony series or operatic chain continued from side to side of each record and from record to record in sequence.

The magazine is carried upon the horizontal rectangular shaped platform 15 having guide lugs 16, between which the bottom of the magazine is engaged. The ends of the platform rest upon adjustable screws 17 lo-' cated at theouter end of each of the diametrically opposite arms 18 of a rotatable support or spider also having a second pair of arms 19 disposed at right angles to the arms 18. The ends of the arms 19 are bifurcated to receive the ends of a rack 20 attached to the underneath surface of the platform 15. The rack 20 has depending teeth 21, the notches of which successively engage with a vertical helix 22 mounted on the fixed horizontal circular plate 23; said late is fixed by means of a central screw 23a aving a connection at 236 with the centre of a Y-shaped base 68 (see Figs. 1 and 2), which fits upon the parallel rails 148 supporting the magazine and its operating mechanism. One portion 24 of said helix is concentric to the centre of said circular plate 23 whilst the remaining portion 25 is eccentric, the width of the gap 26 being determined by the distance between the notches formed by the teeth 21. The spider arms 18 and 19 terminate in a common centre in alignment with the stationary screw 23a at the centre of said plate 23, which screw also forms the axis of rotation of a vertical hub or post 27 carrying said arms 18 and 19.

The post 27 is in permanently geared engagement with the spring motor 28 and together with the spider arms 18 and 19 are restrained against rotation by the motor by a stop device 29 during the playing of a record. This stop device 29 is engaged by each of the arms 18 in succession as hereinafter explained. The arcuate record disc transfer arm 30 forming part of the playing mechanism which constitutes no part of the present invention, oscillates back and forth to roll each record to the playing position and to return it to the magazine. This oscillating record disc transfer arm 30 is carried by a radial U-shaped rod 31, the horizontal lowerlimb of which forms a rocker shaft 32 mounted in suitable bearings. It will be understood that the oscillating movements of the record disc transfer arms 30, 31 and shaft 32 are controlled, preferably automatically, in suitable timed relation to the playing of successive records, and that the particu iar playing mechanism for reproducing the records forms no part of the present invention. As previously stated, a machine with which the present reversing mechanism may be conveniently employed, is shown and described in my Patent 1,868,846 above referred to. The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 9 andalready briefly described, corresponds to the machine described in my said Patent 1,868,846 above referred to. This shaft 32 carries a crank arm 33 which bears against a collar 34 on a connecting rod 35 which passes freely through said arm 33.

The connecting rod 35 is attached to the crank arm 36 fixed on spindle 37 carrying the stop device 29.

'lhe stop device 29 (see Fig. 7) consists of the shaped plate 38 having lugs 39 to receive a pivot pin 40 for the impact piece141 between the inner face of which and the plate 38 a light coil spring is provided to move the impact piece 41 outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, the

first record of the series in the magazine has been played on both sides and returned to the magazine whilst the second record is leaving the magazine for the first time under the action of the arcuate arm 30 and is proceeding to the turntable of the playing mechanism. During this movement of any of the records the partial. rotation of the rocker shaft 32 associated with said arm 30 operates through crank 33, connecting rod 35, crank 36 and spindle 37 to swing the-stop device 29 into the position in Fig. 7, which brings the spring tooth 41 of the impact piece 41 away from the depending blade 42 on the end of each of the arms 18, with which it has previously been in engagement, and the blade 42 becomes engaged by the far side of the upwardly projecting tooth 29a of the plate 38.

As soon as the impact piece moves away from blade 42, as seen in Fig, 7, it rocks upon its pivot 40 under the action of the spring 41 so that when the arcuate record disc transfer arm 30 effects its return movement,to bring a record from the playing position back to the magazine, the stop device 29 moves inwardly in a clockwise direction, as, viewedv in Fig. 7, through the action of spindle 37 to free the blade 42 from contact wlth the projection 29a and in front of the impact piece 41, whereupon the arm 18 under the impulse of the motor 28 swings 180 degrees and its diametrically opposite arm 18 then comes to rest with its blade 42 against the far side of the spring tooth 41 of the impact piece 41.

In order to delay the action of the stop device 29 in releasing the blade 42 after the arcuate arm 30 has effected its return move ment as above described and to allow the record so returned to the magazine to settle down therein, the action of the rod 35 is recrank 33 against a collar 34 fixed on connecting rod 35, to which latter the hinged flap 45 of the bellows 43 is connected by strip 46 pigot-ally attached to a fixed collar 47 on said ro On return movement of the arm 30 the crank 33 contacts with the abutment piece 48 on U-shaped strip 49 loosely mounted on a connecting rod 35. Said abutment 48 backs one end of a coiled spring 50 on the rod 35, the other end of which abuts the collar 47 to effect the inflating motion of the bellows through strip 46, the action of the bellows slowing down the action of the spring 50.

As previously stated, after a record has been played on both sides and returned to the magazine, the latter is then again turned through 180 degrees and during this half turn, the rack 20 is advanced one step by one of its teeth 21 engaging with the eccentric I portion 25 of the fixed helix 22.

This advance step shifts the magazine transversely with respect to the plane of rotation of the turntable, so as to bring the next record to be played into correct position to be transferred by the arcuate arm 30 to the turntable8 of the playing mechanism.

To absorb the shock to the mechanism applied. directly to the impact piece 41 when each arm 18 comes into contact with the latter, the spindle 37 is permitted longitudinal play against spring 51 and rubber collar 52 thereon (see Fig. 2).

'.When the rack 20 has advanced to its fullest limit to position the last record of the series for feed to the turntable and said record has been played on both sides and returned to the magazine, the final half revolution of the latter will result in a final forward movement of the rack 20, causing it to project into a position (see Fig. 8) where it will impact on one end of a slotted strip 53 slidably mounted upon a horizontal plate 54,'su ported from a fixed vertical rod 55 and ad ustable on the latter.

The slotted strip 53 when struck by said rack 20, moves the pin 5511- of the electric switch 56 controlling the motor circuit of the playing or record reproducing mechanism into the open circuit position. The playing or record reproducing mechanism therefor ceases to operate until again brought into action, the position of the mechanism at this stage being indicated in Fig. 8.

To restore the magazine into its original position with the first record in correct osition to be fed to the turntable, the plat orm 15 is raised slightly by means of handles 57 to disengage the rack 20 from helix 22, this upward movement being limited by caps 58 closing the forked ends of the arms 19. The

platform is then replaced with the first for-.

ward notch in engagement with the eccentric portion of the helix 22 diametrically opposite the gap 26.

magazine, the combination of a rotatable sup-= port for the magazine, means for producing a half-revolution of said support and magazine following the return of a record disc thereto after the playing of one side of said record disc, and means for advancing said magazine after the playing of both sides of said record disc to bring another record disc into the position occupied by said first mentioned record disc.

2. In a talking mach'ne for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by a record transfer mechanism from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support for the magazine, means for advancing said magaz'ne transversely of said support to bring another record disc into line with the record transfer mechanism of the talking machine, and means for producing periodically a half-revolution of said sup ort and magazine following the return of a record disc thereto, said magazine being advanced transversely of said support at each alternate halfrevolution thereof.

3. In a talkin machine for playing a number of doubleaced records in sequence in which the records are (positioned vertically in a record magazine an moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support for the magazine, means for producing periodical half-revolutions of said support and magazine, said means being controlled by the operation of the oscillating transfer arm, means for advancing said magazine transversely of said sup ort to bring another record into the path 0 the oscillating transfer arm, and means determining the operation of said advancing means after each alternate complete oscillation of the transfer arm.

4. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magaiiine to a playin position on a vertically-positioned turnta le and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support, a platform mounted upon said support, said platform adapted to support the record magazine and to advance the record magazine transversely of said support in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the record discs in said magazine, means for producing periodical half-revolutions of said support, platform and magazine, said means being controlled by the operation of the oscillating transfer arm, and means for advancing said platform and magazine transversely of said support at each alternate half-revolution thereof'and by the distance apart of the record discs in said magazine.

5. In a talkin machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support for the magazine, a motor tending to ro-v tate said support, an escapement device normally restraining the rotation of said support and serving when released to limit said rotation to a half-revolution at a time, means for advancing said magazine transversely of said support in steps corresponding to the distance apart of the record discs in said magazine, means for releasing said escapement device after every return movement of the oscillating transfer arm, and means for bringing said magazine advancing means automatically into operation at each alternate half-revolution of said support.

6. In a talkin machine for playing a number of doubleaced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support forthe magazine, means for guiding'said magazine transversely of said support, means for producing periodically a half-revolution 115 of said support and magazine following the return of a record disc thereto, said guiding means including a toothed rack mounted below the magaz'ne and movable therewith transversely of said support, and a stationary 120 toothed member in engagement with said rack, said toothed member being substantially concentric with the axis of said support but having a spiral tooth outline adapted to advance said rack and said magazine trans- 125 versely of said support at each alternate halfrevolution of said magazine.

7. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in .which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playin position on a vertically-positioned turnta 1e and after playing returned to said 5 magazine, the combination of a rotatable support for the magazine, means for advancing said magazine transversely of said support to bring another record disc into position for transfer to said turntable, means for periodically producing a halfrevolution of said support and ma azine following the return of a record disc t ereto, said magazine being advanced transversely of said support at each alternate half-revolution thereof, and means for arresting the rotation of said support after said magazine has completed a halfrevolution following the transverse advance which brings the last record disc into position for transfer to said turntable.

8. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support, a magazine-carrying platform mounted upon said support, said platform being distoothed rack secured to the underside of said platform, means for guiding said rack diametrically of said support while said platform and said magazine are advanced transversely of said support and perpendicular to the planes of the record discs in said magazine, a stationary toothed member mounted above said sup ort and substantially concentric with its axis, said toothed member having a spiral tooth engaging with said rack and adapted to shift said rack longitudinally during alternate half-revolutions of said support, and means co-ordinating the transfer of said record discs, the rotation of said support and the shifting-of the said rack so as to reverse the magazine when a record disc has been returned after the playing of one side thereof and again to reverse the magazine while also advancing ittransversely of said support when a record disc has been returned after the playing of the other side thereof.

9. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable support, a platform mounted upon said support, said platform adapted to receive a detachable magazine and to advance transversely of said support in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the record discs in said magazine,

a motor tending to rotate said support, means zine, a stationary toothed member mounted placeable transversely of said support, a

normally restraining the rotation of said support and serving when released to limit said rotation to a half-revolutionat a time, said restraining means controlled by the oscillating transfer arm and released by the return movement of said arm, a dashpot device retardin the release of saidrestraining means when sai arm eflects its return movement, a toothed rack secured to the underside of said platform, means for guiding said rack diametrically of said support while said platform and said magazine are advanced transversely of said support and perpendicular to the planes of the record discs in said magaabove said support and substantially concentric with its axis, said toothed member having a spiral tooth engaging with said rack and adapted to shift said rack longitudinally dur ing alternate half-revolutions of said support.

10. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by a record transfer mechanism from the magazine to a playing position o'n a vertically positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable platform for supporting the magazine, and means for rotating the platform and magazine one-half revolution at a time to reverse the records while in said magazine whereby both sides of the record may be played and means controlled by the rotation of said platform and operating at each alternate haif revolution to advance said platform and magazine to bring the next record of the sequence into position to be transferred to theturntable by the record transfer mechanism.

11. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by a record transfer mechanism from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotat able platform for supporting the magazine, a motor for rotating the platform and magazine one-half revolution at a time to reverse the records while in said magazine whereby both sides of the record may be played, and means for advancing said platform and magazine to bring the next record of the sequence into position to be transferred to the turn table by the record transfer mechanism.

12. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by a record transfer mechanism from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically positioned turntable and after playing returned to said 130 magazine, the combination of a rotatable platform for supporting the magazine, means for rotating the platform and magazine one-half revolution at a time to reverse the records while in said magazine whereby both sides of the record may be played, a stop device for holding the platform and magazine against rotation during the playing of a record, means to release the stop device after one side of the record has been played and the record returned to the magazine, and means for advancing the said platform and magazine to bring the next record of the sequence into position to be transferred to the turntable by the record transfer mechanism, said advancing means operating at alternate operations of said releasing means.

13. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are stacked vertically in a record magazine and moved by a record transfer mechanism from the magazine to z )laying position on a vertically positioned turntable and after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable platform for supporting the magazine, a toothed rack carried by the platform. means for rotating the platform and magazine one half revolution at a time to reverse the records while in said magazine whereby both sides of the record may be played. and a fixed table bv the record transfer mechanism.

14. In a talking machine for playing a number of double-faced records in sequence in which the records are positioned vertically in a record magazine and moved by an oscillating record transfer arm from the magazine to a playing position on a vertically-positioned turntable 111d after playing returned to said magazine, the combination of a rotatable platform for supportingthe mag naea'eae movements 'of the record transfer mechanism to release the stop from engagement with one of the arms of the spindle to permit a one half revolution ofthe spindle, platform and magazine.

16. In the combination specified in claim 14, a rocker shaft actuated by the oscillating movements of the record transfer mechanism to release the stop from engagement with one of the arms of the spindle to permit a one half revolution of the spindle, platform and magazine, and a delayed action device interposed between the rocker shaft and the oscillating record transfer arm to retard the action of the stop device following the return of the record to the magazine.

17. In the combination specified in claim 14, a rocker shaft on which the stop device is mounted, a. connecting rod attached to said rocker shaft and actuated by the oscillating movements of the record transfer arm to release the stop from engagement with one of the arms of the spindle to permit a one half revolution of the spindle, platform and magazine, and a delayed action bellows associated with the connecting rod to retard the Withdrawal of the stop device until the return of the played record to the magazine.

18. In the combination specified in claim 14, a switch for controlling the operation of the talking machine, and a control rod for actuating said switch to open circuit position to stop the operation of the talking machine, said control rod being located in the path of rotation of the toothed rack when said rack is moved to its extreme radial position, whereby the rotary movement of the platform and rack is effective to operate the switch to open circuit position.

Dated the seventh day of December 1928.

WILLIAM ROBERT OYSTON. 

